Author Topic: Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues  (Read 6602 times)

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M-dub

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« on: December 07, 2003, 12:56:11 PM »
AutoCAD HELP?!?!  Yeah...Right...

Using 2k2 on XP, how do I REALLY avoid the creation of plot.log every time I plot a drawing?  AutoCAD help says to turn the plot stamp on and change the advanced settings, but that doesn't work.   :roll: What else is new?

Also, how do I change the default plot file name?  I'm sending drawings to the Acrobat Distiller and I want the pdf to be named the same as the dwg file, but AutoCAD gives it a suffix of "-Model" or whatever the tab's name is.  I don't give a glass of $#!T what the tab name is and neither does the client!  The drawing number is 127A2003, not 127A2003-Model!!! :evil:

Thanks a lot,
Mike

Keith™

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2003, 10:12:49 PM »
A plotting script is what I use to plot to various plotters and file types and names. Rather than use the plot command, I use a flyout button with the various scripts listed. This way I can plot however I want,  but in the exact same manner EVERY time I need to plot for a specific purpose.
I will send you the 3 scripts I have for my various plotting routines. All you need to do is modify them to suit your needs and add a button with a macro to call them i.e.

script 11x17.scr
script letter.scr
script ArchD.scr
script ArchE.scr
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Kerry

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2003, 01:56:15 AM »
You may be able to use some of this to build your own. This extracts the dwg name from the selected title block.
... you may just need to do something like :

(strcat (vl-filename-base (getvar "dwgname")) ".EPS")

Code: [Select]

(defun c:do-PDF (/)
  ;; local variables  - force local after testing.
  ;; BlockRef DotList  plot_name lleft uright old_expert
  ;;    
  ;; add error handling
  ;;  
  (if (and (setq BlockRef
                  (vlax-ename->vla-object
                    (car (entsel "Select Border/Title Block-Reference")
                    )
                  )
           )
           (setq DotList (mapcar '(lambda (AttRef)
                                    (cons (vla-get-tagstring AttRef)
                                          (vla-get-textstring AttRef)
                                    )
                                  )
                                 (vlax-invoke BlockRef 'GetAttributes)
                         )
           )
      )
    (progn (setq plot_name  (strcat (vla-get-path (vla-get-document BlockRef))
                                    "\\"
                                    (cdr (assoc "DWG_NO" DotList))
                                    "["
                                    (cdr (assoc "DWG_REV" DotList))
                                    "].EPS"
                            )
                 old_expert (getvar "expert")
           )
           (setvar "expert" 2)
           (vla-getboundingbox BlockRef 'lleft 'uright)
           (setq lleft  (vlax-safearray->list lleft)
                 uright (vlax-safearray->list uright)
           )
           (vl-cmdf "-psetupin" "D:\\SD\\Page_Setups.dwg" "PDF-A1-W")
           (setvar "expert" old_expert)
           (vl-cmdf "-plot"  "Y"      "Model"
                                        ;Enter a layout name or [?] <Model>:
                    ""                  ;Enter an output device name or [?] <PostScript Level 2.pc3>:
                    ""                  ;Enter paper size or [?] <ISO A1 (841.00 x 594.00 MM)>:
                    "M"                 ;Enter paper units [Inches/Millimeters] <Millimeters>:
                    "L"                 ;Enter drawing orientation [Portrait/Landscape] <Landscape>
                    "_No"               ;Plot upside down? [Yes/No] <No>:
                    "Window"
                    lleft
                    uright
                    "Fit"               ;scale (Plotted Millimeters=Drawing Units) or [Fit] <Fit>: f
                    "C"                 ;Enter plot offset (x,y) or [Center] <Center>:
                    "_Yes"              ;Plot with plot styles? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
                    ""                  ;Enter plot style table name or [?] <HP5000-MEDIUM.ctb>:
                    "_Yes"              ;Plot with lineweights? [Yes/No] <Yes>:
                    "N"                 ;Remove hidden lines? [Yes/No] <No>:
                    "Y"                 ;Write the plot to a file [Yes/No] <Y>:
                    plot_name
                    "_Yes"              ;Save changes to model tab [Yes/No]? <N>
                    "_Yes"              ;Proceed with plot [Yes/No] <Y>:
         )
    )
    (princ)
  )
)
 
kdub, kdub_nz in other timelines.
Perfection is not optional.
Everything will work just as you expect it to, unless your expectations are incorrect.
Discipline: None at all.

CAB

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2003, 09:34:47 AM »
K

Would you mind e-mailing me the scripts also?

I use the following routine but it is limited to the "Previous Plot" and I needed to ba able to select a "Page Set Up" to apply to each tab plotted.
Note that this routine skips Model space & tabs with ~ in the title.

Code: [Select]
;; plot all paper space tabs, ignore Model Space
;; ignore tabs with ~ in the name
(Defun C:PT
   (/ plo_layouts plo_cntr plo_list plo_layouttab)
  (vl-load-com)
  (setvar "FILEDIA" 0)
  (setvar "CMDDIA" 0)
  (initget 6) ; disallow 0 or <0
  (setq nofs (getint "Enter number of sets: <1>"))
  (setq nofs (if (or nofs (= nofs 0))
      nofs
      1
    )
  )
  (setq plo_layouts
(vla-get-layouts
  (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))
)
  )
  (vlax-for plo_layout plo_layouts
    (setq plo_list (cons (vla-get-name plo_layout) plo_list))
  )
  ; make sure to plot tabs left to right in order
  (setq plo_list (if (= (car plo_list) "Model")
  plo_list
  (reverse plo_list)
)
  )
  (while (>= nofs 1)
    (setq plo_cntr 0)
    (repeat (length plo_list)
      (setq plo_layouttab (nth plo_cntr plo_list))
      (cond
((= plo_layouttab "Model")
nil ; skip Model Space
) ; end cond 1
((> (vl-string-search "~" plo_layouttab) 0)
nil ; skip if ~ in tab name
) ; end cond 2
(T
(command "-PLOT" "n" plo_layouttab "" "" "" "" "" "")
) ; end cond 3
      ) ; end cond
      (setq plo_cntr (1+ plo_cntr))
    )
    (prompt "\nPlot Set Complete")
    (setq nofs (1- nofs))
  )

  (setvar "FILEDIA" 1)
  (setvar "CMDDIA" 1)
  (princ)
)


Cant seem to find a way to access the "Page Set Ups".

Tried this, no workie.

Quote
 (defun plotall_device_list (/ curdwg pslayout)
    (vl-load-com)
    (setq
      curdwg   (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-Acad-Object))
      pslayout (vla-get-Layout (vla-get-PaperSpace curdwg))
    )
 ; Call RefreshPlotDeviceInfo before GetPlotDeviceNames
    (vla-RefreshPlotDeviceInfo pslayout)
    (setq sty (vlax-safearray->list
      (vlax-variant-value (vla-GetPlotStyleTableNames pslayout))
    ))

    (setq cfg (vlax-safearray->list
      (vlax-variant-value (vla-Get-PlotConfigurations pslayout))
   ))


Maybe a script is the way to go?

CAB
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Keith™

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2003, 09:46:19 AM »
Ok..I will send. You of course will need to modify the script to plot to the correct plotter, papersize and layouts.
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CAB

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« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2003, 09:58:54 AM »
Will Do....

Thanks

CAB
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CAB

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2003, 10:29:39 AM »
Here  is a screen shot of VLIDE. I think I am close to getting the list of "Page Set Ups", but this is still short of the actual list.


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daron

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2003, 10:50:01 AM »
You sure got a lot of stuff on your system. Does it run? :lol:

Keith™

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2003, 11:18:20 AM »
Daron, don't confuse the quick launch icons (on the left) with the actual programs running (on the right)

Hey CAB, Why do you have msimn AND outlook..
Lets see.. the icons on the left are..
AutoCAD 2000
Internet Explorer
Show Desktop
Windows Explorer
Wordpad
(not sure what that one is)
WinZip
Outlook Express
Outlook
(not sure)
(not sure)
DOS prompt (command)
Media Player

Well how close am I ...
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CAB

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2003, 12:12:06 PM »
K
You'd make a good spy
Right on target.



AutoCAD 2000
Internet Explorer
Show Desktop
Windows Explorer
Wordpad
   NotesPad Ver 8.0
WinZip
Outlook Express (I need to get rid of this)
Outlook
   UltraEdit-32
   Spy Bot (I use it & Adware)
DOS prompt (command)
Media Player

Running pgms

HP LaserJet 3330 on USB
Volume Control
Plextor CD Burner
InteliPoint Mouse
Maxtor QuickDesk Display
Timesheet Logger
HP Laser Jet Director
MS auto update (would like to delete?)

Runs great, 1.4GHZ AMD 512M  (2)80G HD 7200RPM Maxtor G450
I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap. (°¿°)
Windows 10 core i7 4790k 4Ghz 32GB GTX 970
Please support this web site.

daron

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2003, 12:42:58 PM »
And the only reason it would work fast is that you use spy-bot irradicators. I've seen computers with much more power than yours crawl to a halt with that much stuff running. From what I've been told the icons on the far right will slow down any computer too. I'm just kidding of course about the speed of your computer.

Keith™

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« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2003, 01:30:03 PM »
Daron,
 The only programs running are the ones actually shown on the task bar as open windows and the ones on the right. Now..
Touse the USB printer, it must be loaded, as with ANY printer, volume control is also running on every computer with a sound card, CD Burner drivers are running on every computer with a CD burner. All computers with a mouse have a mouse driver loaded, and all new systems use the AutoUpdate feature, although you can disable it, it still runs in the background as a system service. The only thing he has running that is perhaps not needed is the Maxtor program.

of course you can remove the icons from the task bar, but they will still be running in the background.

In my taskbar I have "Poweroff" "Netmeeting" "Volume Control" "Winamp" "Network Control" "Intellimouse" "Norton Internet Security" "VTI Tablet Driver"

and I only have an 800Mhz W/256Meg that I use at work...
At home I use a 2.6Ghz W/ 512Meg
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Mark

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Plot.log and Other Plotting Issues
« Reply #12 on: December 09, 2003, 01:37:41 PM »
If you really want to see whats running on your machine go D/L this.
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
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Keith™

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« Reply #13 on: December 09, 2003, 02:18:51 PM »
I have a process spy, it details every thread, process and window currently using any system resources. It also lets you know what processes are using how much of your resources, and gives you the opportunity to kill them.

Now..While you can stop any process running on your computer, most processes are necessary for the programs you are running. Some are recommended, but not required, and some are not needed at all. At any rate, can you imagine if you were to run DOS or Win 3.1 on one of these "power houses" that did not exist in the days of 80286 and 80386 systems with a whopping powerful processor speed of 24Mhz
It would seem like it was zooming...but with the programs of today, the overhead is so great, that we must push the envelope of faster technology just to make the thinks work like they are supposed to.

Imagine this..

Programs generally tell you what you need to make them run, but what they don't tell you is that if you run ANYTHING ELSE, that those resources cannot be counted toward the optimal performance levels indicated by the program.

For example, if you have 2 programs that require 64Megs of ram and you have 64 installed, if you run both programs simultaneously, the system will come to a screeching halt, so we install 128 just to keep up...
It is a never ending battle...

One day we will have a terrahertz processor and wonder how we ever made do with the slow 2Ghz processors. You will probably be required to have a Terrabyte of memory and the hard drive will hold close to 40Terrabytes, and you will STILL run out of space on your drive....

It is insanity I tell you!!!!!

Oh.... what a rant huh...
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